Writer suggests Chris Rock 'deserved to be slapped' and be held 'accountable'
Senior writer at The Root Candace McDuffie explained during an appearance on CNN why she believed comedian Chris Rock "deserved to be slapped" at the Oscars.
Pundit Candance McDuffie claimed during a Tuesday CNN appearance that comedian Chris Rock "deserved to be slapped" by actor Will Smith at last year's Academy Awards.
McDuffie, a senior writer at The Root, wrote an opinion piece on Sunday headlined, "Chris Rock Still Deserved to Be Slapped by Will Smith." She told "CNN This Morning" that the comedian has made Black women the "butt of his jokes" for years.
"It’s not so much about being slapped as much as it’s about accountability, right, he has made Black women specifically the butt of his jokes for years and he's finally being held accountable. So I feel this kind of sets the precedent going forward that people will be more careful about how they treat Black women," McDuffie said.
CNN host Don Lemon said people would focus on her words and say, "is Candace McDuffie condoning violence saying that Will Smith should have slapped Chris Rock?"
CNN's Don Lemon and senior writer at the Root, Candace McDuffie, discuss Chris Rock on "CNN This Morning" (Screenshot/CNN/CNNThisMorning)
McDuffie said in the "literal sense" her words seemed like a "bit much."
In her piece for the Root, McDuffie wrote that it was not so much about "condoning violence" but rather, "words—especially ones that make Black women the punchline—should have consequences."
"Honestly sitting here, you know, calling Jada out of her name, making fun of her hair condition, talking about her Alopecia, words can be violent as well. And as we see Black girls and women, we suffer abuse at higher rates in this country, so continuing to humiliate us only perpetuates this," she said.
Lemon asked what she would say to those who believe she is being "too sensitive" about Rock's comedy.
Will Smith took issue with Chris Rock's joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, leading him to slap the comedian across the face. (ROBYN BECK/AFP)
"I think it speaks to a larger American pattern of using marginalized people as comedic fodder. It can also lead to violence being incited. It can lead to us being not seen as human. Words in comedy have larger consequences as we've seen in recent years," she said.
McDuffie said that what we saw on that stage "wasn't comedy."
She argued that it was "pain" and said he "hasn't healed from what happened." McDuffie added that instead of dealing with his feelings, Rock was "taking it out" on Black women.
During Rock's new Netflix special, "Selective Outrage," he addressed the infamous Oscar slap.
Chris Rock LIVE: Selective Outrange. Chris Rock at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore. Cr. Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix © 2023 (Netflix)
Rock referenced former rapper Suge Knight, who is serving a 28-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in 2018.
"You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith," he began. "Everybody knows! Everybody f------ knows! Yes, it happened. I got smacked. A year ago, I got slapped at the f------ Oscars by this motherf------ and people are like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts! I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ear! But I'm not a victim. You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle, crying."
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Liberals and more were outraged by Rock's Netflix special and one professor seemed to echo McDuffie by saying Smith was "right to slap him."
Fox News Digital's Ashley Hume contributed to this report.
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